STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IS FUNDERMENTAL DISCUSS Essay

STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT IS FUNDERMENTAL DISCUSS - Essay Example The uncertainties brought about by globalisation and technology have reduced business performance, challenged information systems management, ‘and making the selection of new IS all the more critical’ (Raymond et al., 1995; Choe et al., 1998 as cited in Newkirk et al., 2008, p. 198). Firms have to design operational plans and structures to reduce the effects of risks and uncertainties. Managers and employees must be involved in the process of change. The activities and complexities involved in change are large and if these are implemented late, they can lead to disaster for the firm (Black & Gregersen 2002, p. 5). Effective implementation of strategic change requires a combination of several factors, like an application of values and principles along with change in the organisation’s culture. It is said that ‘culture is a barrier to change’ (Robbins 2001, p. 516). The business environment is continuously changing, and so people in the organisation hav e to change. Continuous learning and knowledge management must be introduced in organisations. Activities in strategic change involve large group meetings across many departments of the organisation, which should cooperate to craft a collective future. If large groups are involved, change can happen faster than expected as the entire organisation is involved. Plans and activities should be aligned with the overall strategy wherein everyone has to work for change. Small and large organisations can work for strategic change and the fundamental framework is to get everyone in the organisation provide talents and capabilities. (Jacobs 1997) Planning is an important factor in strategic change, and time comes with planning which is too often overlooked. A plan structure is a key to a successful change. (Newkirk et al. 2008) Definition and concept Change occurs every day for firms, but change is not all the time bad. Change can provide a window of opportunity for firms. Successful firms to day were battling the forces of change before and they emerged successful, like Microsoft, Apple, Wal-Mart, and many others (Pasmore 1994, p. 4). Business change is defined as ‘the rate of product/series obsolescence and the rate of product/services technology change’ (Miller & Friesen, 1983 as cited in Newkirk et al, 2008, p. 200). Technology and expertise help in the process of business change. There are catastrophic consequences for not meeting the challenge of change. Established companies experienced the negative impact, like Xerox, Lucent, and Kmart in the United States, and other companies in Europe and Japan. These companies assigned new managers but still failed. Only when they realised the lessons of their failures did they get things straight and they became successful. There are other thousands of managers whose careers were severely affected because of ineffective change measures. No matter how good are managers’ experiences in leading change, they m ay falter because of the many barriers to change. People resist change. Business environments are dynamic and may change anytime in the course of business. (Black & Gregersen 2002, p. 5) A principle in meeting the challenges of change is that a leader must not force to meet change right away, or he/she may encounter a strong force of resistance. Instead, the leader must have a map or a plan, conceived as mental maps, in order to be effective in battling the